Breech-loading cannon



(No Model.) Y

' A. .DIGNNRMAN BREBGH LOADING CANNON. No. 279,639. Patented June,'9,1883.

YIl A Attorneys UNITED STATESV PATENT OFFICE.

AMOS DICKERMAN, OF NEV HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

BREEcH-LOADING CANNON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 279,639, dated June 19,1883.

' Application filed May 12, 1883. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, AMos DICKERMAN, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county ofNew Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and usefulRolling Breech-Loading Cannon, of which the following is a specication,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to breech-loading ordnance, and more especiallyto small pieces, known as yacht-guns, and is an improvement on Patent No. 270,289, granted to myself on the 9th day of January, 1883.

My present invention consists in certainimprovements in the constructionof the same, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure l. is a perspective view. Fig. 2is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view, and Fig. 3 is a detailvertical longitudinal section.

The same letters refer to the same parts in all the figures.

'ening the breech-block when closed.

A in the drawings designates the barrel, which is cored to receive thetube B, forming the bore.

C designates a rolling `breech-block, -which is hinged to the butt ofthe barrel upon a longitudinal pin, which is partly screw-threaded forthe purpose of retaining it securely in position. Suitable means areprovided for fast- The breech-block is cored, as at E, to receive thelock-case F, which contains the firing mechanism. The latter comprisesthe hammer G, which is thrown in a forward direction by the action ofthe mainspring H, which is arranged in the side of the case, against alug or projection, I, upon the side of the hammer. The front wall of thebreech-block has an opening, J, in which is placed the firing-pin K,which is forced automatically in a rearward direction by the action of asuitably-arranged spring, L.

M is a stem arranged to slide longitudinally in the butt of thebreechvblock, and forced inA a forward direction by the action of asuitablyarranged spring', N. The. stem M, or the front part of thelatter, is formed of elastic or spring metal, and its front end has ahook, O, engaging a dog, P, formed upon the upper part of the hammer.

In operation, when the cartridge has been inserted and the breechclosed, the piece may loe discharged by pulling the stem or slide M in arearward direction until the hook O releases the hammer. The latter isthen, by the action of the mainspring, forced forwardly against thefiring-pin, whereby the piece is discharged. When the stem or slide M isreleased it is forced forwardly by the action of the spring N until thehookv O engages the dog P of the hammer, thus replacing the firingmechanism in position for firing.

It will be seen that by this invention the construction of the firingmechanism is much simplified. By the coring of the barrel and of thebreech-block the parts adjoining the said cored spaces are permitted tovibrate freely when the piece is discharged, and hence a loud detonationor report is secured, which is of prime importance in this class ofguns, which are usually employed for signaling only.

I claim as myinvention and desirel to secure by Let-ters Patent oftheUnited Statesl. In yacht or signaling guns, the breechblock, cored asdescribed, to receive the lockcase, which is thereby surrounded by aspace,- whereby a loud report is secured when the piece is discharged,as set forth.

2. In breech-loading ordnance, the combination of the barrel, the breechblock,the lockcase, the hammer, the mainspring arranged to force thehammer in a forward direction, the firing-pin, a dog formed upon theupper side of the hammer, and a longitudinally/sliding -elastic stemhaving at its front enda hook vadapted to engage the said dog, as andfor the

